One of my co-workers has been trying to give away five kittens. My home is definitely off limits to cats, due to my husband’s allergies. Everyone my co-worker has asked seems to have one reason or another. And if it’s that hard to give away cute kittens, imagine trying to give away four full-grown mountain lions.
The Fejervary Zoo has been a fixture in Davenport, Iowa for nearly 100 years. But attendance has waned in recent decades, and since the city took over ownership in 2000, it has been an ongoing issue as to whether the city belongs in the zoo business. Reports began to emerge about poor conditions and animals deaths. Finally this spring a decision had to be made whether to keep the zoo open or not.
The answer was “Not.” But closing a zoo down has complications rather different from closing down a park or an office. Disposing of unneeded office furniture isn’t too hard, but how many people really want to buy a spare prairie dog? And while the city can just let the land sit while they decide what to do with it, the animals need new homes – and safe transportation to those new homes.
Three wolves have already found a new home in an animal sanctuary in New Mexico. (The fourth member of their little pack died during the surgery to spay her as required by the animal sanctuary.) A group called CARE (Center for Animal Research and Education) in Texas has agreed to take the cougars – but first CARE has to raise the $150,000 needed to properly take care of the big cats.
My co-worker is now offering to sell the kittens since no one wants them for free. Finding new homes for cats, big or little, is no easy job.
July 16, 2008 at 7:51 am |
Good reason to spay or neuter.
I’ve read that if one is going to give kittens to strangers, it is good to sell them rather than give them away for free. The very sad fact is that there are cruel & evil people out there who take free kittens to torture. That’s also a good reason for cats to be kept indoors, unless one lives in a particularly safe area, such as out in the country.